Embracing His True Self

Chapter 89

"Merlin's bloody balls, what on earth did we just witness?" Rabastan said, as they escorted the vampires out of the manor and its grounds. Awed and dazed as he stared at his partner, completely shocked by the immense turnaround it had taken just by Harry's entrance. The vampires had not been receptive to the Dark Lord's offers, finding it much too risky a manoeuvre to ally themselves. The fear of a repeat of what happened last time…evidently halting any negotiations in their tracks and of course, the Dark Lord wouldn't yield to their commands.

Severus chuckled, "That was Harry's Slytherin tendencies coming to the forefront." Oh, he was so proud of that display Harry had just put on, the subtle threats, the cajoling and the satisfaction of knowing he was right. The vampires hadn't stood a chance against both the Dark Lord and Harry.

"Merlin he was…" Rabastan murmured breathlessly, "Magnificent." Was the word he decided upon. He was definitely the right person to be along side the Dark Lord as Consort. Although, nobody except the dark sect, would think of him as such. To the rest of the world 'Tom' was just the Boy-Who-Lived's boyfriend.

They continued to speak as they made their way back up the manor grounds. Rabastan glanced at Bellatrix's cabin, she was a shell of her former self, a ghost really. He wasn't used to her so subdued, the potions she was on were definitely doing the trick. It was just too damn bad that they hadn't known about it when his brother first married her. They certainly could have used it. Severus speaking again brought him out of his thoughts, and all thoughts of Bellatrix was gone.

She wasn't worthy of his time, she'd taken up over a decade and a half of it, because he'd been stupid enough to go to the Longbottom estate. Not that he'd taken a lot of convincing, naturally.

"He was," Severus said wryly, "The hat as we know, did consider him from the house of the snakes…just imagine how much better he would be had he the rest of the snakes to educate him from the age of eleven. Admittedly, most of his character is his own, just hidden from view, even from me." He used to think he knew every nuance of Harry's character, and what he would do. Well, he did have Harry's 'character' down, it just happened to be one he was playing, and not his real character. No, he'd only gotten to know Harry's real character later.

"I don't know about that…truthfully, without knowing just how dark Harry actually was…he might have been alienated to the point he actually walked away sooner than he'd been planning." Rabastan confessed, they were aware that Harry had intended on disappearing as soon as it was legally possible for him to. Leave the war entirely, Dumbledore, the Order, the dark just take off and live his life.

"That regretfully…has more truth to it than I'd like to admit," Severus conceded, as they walked up the steps of the manor and inside, back into the warmth. "Myself included." But he couldn't really say what he would have done if the child had been in Slytherin. He liked to think himself above alienating a child that was already been judged by the rest of the school. "Not that it matters, there's just no point to dwelling on ifs and buts." He'd done that often enough to know it was pointless and just didn't change anything.

"True enough," Rabastan conceded, as they turned, heading back to the office to inform the Dark Lord that they were gone, even though he already knew.

"He raised a good point though, all of us, even Dumbledore and the Dark Lord made assumptions about him," Severus murmured, "We didn't let him choose his side, it was just fight for the light side, for the Muggles, without any input from him." When Harry loathed Muggles with every fibre of his being, with very good reason.

Rabastan chuckled, recalling the way Harry had spoken to the vampires.

-0 Flashback 0-

"Why did you change sides?"

"Change sides?" Harry asked blankly, both his and Voldemort's hands carded together and, on the table, presenting a united front. "Knew me, well did you?"

Voldemort's smirk became even more pronounced, what could he say? He loved when Harry screwed with everyone, it was so much fun.

"It was hard to miss where your allegiance lay," Kevin pointed out, the leader of the vampires becoming increasingly annoyed by the byplay he seemed to be missing. He didn't dare antagonise Potter too much though. He dare not risk it.

"Right, because I attended Hogwarts…I guess the rest of us are just as nauseatingly light," Harry said dryly, "What rumours you've heard concerning me are just that rumours until you have complete proof that I did what you're assuming I did."

"Probably not," Voldemort said flippantly, "What I've been told about your exploits are quite accurate."

"That's because the little rat was there for most of them," Harry sneered just thinking about Pettigrew.

Voldemort laughed; surprised Harry had deduced where he got most of his information. "I suspected you would have thought Barty,"

"Barty wouldn't have spent too much time asking about me, not as Moody, not without the information being shared first. Considering Dumbledore knew it wasn't the real Moody…I doubt he shared much of anything." Harry shrugged.

"Mostly correct, but Moody wasn't just talking to Dumbledore, he spoke to everyone and overheard everything." Voldemort pointed out.

"I can see you are confused, let me explain it to you in a way that you might understand. When I got to Hogwarts, nay, before I got to Hogwarts, I was being manipulated into being a good little puppet and playing the part that Dumbledore wanted me to play." Harry said, leaning forward, "Everyone, and I mean everyone, presumed that I wanted any part in this. Voldemort, Dumbledore the fucking public demanded things of me they had no right demanding. I wasn't given a choice; I was shoved in the corner and had my decisions made for me. I played the long game." And he'd won.

Rabastan and Severus glanced at each other, both guilty of such a thing themselves.

"Your choices make you who you are, Harry'" Harry's voice clearly mocking something said to him in the past. "I never had a choice, I did what I had to in order to survive Hogwarts and so I hid what I really thought, whom I really was, just waiting." Green eyes boring into the vampires gleaming like poison.

"I loathe Muggles," Harry added bitterly, and he had very good reason to do so, unlike the bloody pureblood's who hadn't met a Muggle in their lives.

-0 End flashback 0-

"That's them gone, My Lords, I think they're still scratching their heads," Rabastan tried desperately to say it with a straight face. He didn't succeed, he couldn't help but laugh in hilarity of the situation that had just occurred. Seriously, even he'd had trouble keeping up with the back and forth of it all.

"Merlin, they were insufferable," Harry grumbled, throwing Rabastan a grin.

"Right, they were the only insufferable ones in the room," Severus said sardonically, rolling his eyes at the smirk Harry gave him.

"How big is his coven?" Harry asked, Voldemort deeply curious. "It has to be massive for you to have taken some of the things they said to you."

"He's fifty strong, at least," Voldemort replied thoughtfully, "He was very reluctant to give me an exact number." Which was exactly what he liked to do, not even his so called 'spies' or inner circle actually knew his entire network. Hell, not even Harry knew just how many people he had following him, but he wasn't interested anyway.

"It's what I would do," Harry grudgingly conceded, "Smarter than he looks then,"

"But come on! Did you see the look on his face when you pulled that bloody fire charm onto your hand? It wasn't the blue one either!" Rabastan chortled, sitting himself comfortably down. He didn't hold the same fear of the Dark Lord as he had before his downfall. His moods were easily read these days, and he didn't just snap for no reason and it was very rare these days that they felt the agonising pain of the Cruciatus without good cause, he hadn't yet as a matter of fact.

Harry pulled up his sleeves showing his bare wrists, "I didn't pull it from my wand."

Rabastan gaped, gulping, "Oh, man! Can you imagine their reactions if they knew?" he didn't even need his wand to call fire to him, Merlin.

"And they won't," Harry said, "Got to keep some cards up my sleeve." He added teasingly.

Rabastan barked out an amused laugh, "Yeah, I get it," he said, nodding, he was to keep his mouth shut around the vampires about it. "You worried they'll try something?" he felt the need to ask concerned, had he missed any signs watching the meeting?

"That they might? Yes. Do I think they're going to? Not really, but I…would rather be cautious than come to regret it. I'm not stupid, I know all the Death Eaters aren't happy about my place here. Some of the allies might feel the same way, although they seem to be going the opposite direction." Wanting and needing to know his allegiance before picking.

"Our Lord wouldn't let anything happen," Rabastan said slightly insulted.

"Bellatrix?" Harry pointed out immediately, "Voldemort isn't always there, and I cannot wait around for a rescue…"

Voldemort nodded, "I have a certain amount of control over everyone…but not complete control." Agreeing with his partner entirely, it was true. Not even with his inner circle, but he liked to think that they were smarter than the rest and wouldn't risk it.

"At least they agreed to the amendments, is there any difference between magical blood and Muggle blood for them? Nothing I've read actually gives any concise details." Harry folded his legs together, stretching out a bit.

"There's magic in a wizard's blood," Severus informed him smoothly, using his teachers voice. "If one put Muggle blood in a ritual it would do nothing."

"What if I had a transfusion?" Harry asked before Severus could continue.

"Wizards don't get transfusions," Severus pointed out wryly.

"What if we did? In the Muggle world?" Harry asked relentlessly.

"Quite frankly? It wouldn't end well, trying to infuse a wizard with Muggle blood? It would be disastrous." Severus shuddered at the prospect, muggle and magical blood couldn't possibly mix.

"It can't be possible that no wizard or witch has ever gotten a blood transfusion," Harry frowned, shrugging, "Oh well, just curious…I mean they live off Muggles I was just wondering what would happen if they tried Magical blood."

"With how sacred we hold our blood standards to; it's seen as an anathema to drink from a wizard or witch. It's primarily why they were hunted down so viciously." Severus continued, "So, yes to survive they began drinking from Muggles its where the books all come from." A wicked smirk on his face, "But Garlic and holy water do nothing to them other than amuse them."

"Wait, muggles think Garlic and holy water kills vampires?" Rabastan asked choking down his amusement.

"Oh, yes, and that they cannot be seen in mirrors, that's how you tell a vampire from a normal person." Severus oozed sarcasm.

"Yes, but they're clever enough to know that you can kill anything by cutting off the head." Voldemort pointed out, yes, he'd read his share of muggle literature in his day, before he found the magical world naturally.

"Don't really need to be clever to think that," Harry snorted, even an idiot could have that thought.

A knock at the door interrupted their conversation, "Enter!" Voldemort called out, already knowing who it was.

As expected Rodolphus stuck his head around the door, his relief that his brother was there was immense, "I need your help!"

"I assume this has nothing to do with your services for me?" Voldemort questioned.

"Uh, no, My Lord," Rodolphus stated firmly and immediately.

"Then go, let me write my letters in peace, and send this revised alliance to Gringotts," practically shooing everyone away and out of the room.

Harry couldn't help but cock his head curiously at Rodolphus, he looked about to vibrate out of his skin. When the wizard caught the look, he jerked his head outwards as if to say, you're coming too. Now he really was curious…did this have something to do with Luna? He'd thought they were getting on rather well.

Sliding out of his chair, he, Rabastan and Severus left the Dark Lord's office. Before Harry even closed the door, the scratching of a quill could be heard. "That's why I'd never be a dark lord…too much paperwork." He said jokingly.

"You've got what it takes," Rabastan nodded firmly, "What's up?" giving his brother a curious look.

But Rodolphus walked straight up to and Rabastan's bedroom at the manor. Although, as of late, Rabastan had been spending his nights with Severus…and Luna well, Luna had been sleeping in his bed. Which brought them to their current problem.

Harry arched a brow when he saw Luna just sitting there on the sofa, smug as you please. Watching Rodolphus with wide amused soft eyes, almost to the point of exasperated at his actions. He relaxed a little realizing whatever it was, it couldn't be anything bad. "What's up with him?" Harry asked her, plonking himself down right next to her.

Luna sniggered, "Just wait," she said, watching him smugly.

Harry turned back to Rodolphus who was pacing in front of the fire, looking ready to jump out of his own bones. "I don't think we're going to get anything out of him for a while…" he trailed off, grinning at the look of annoyance he was shot.

"Rodolphus spit it out!" Rabastan snapped in annoyance watching him taking three more turns around the room, while Luna sniggered lightly.

"She's bloody pregnant!" Rodolphus told them, "Father's going to kill me then likely have a heart attack!"

"I somehow doubt that," Harry said wryly, as Rabastan gaped in stunned disbelief, "He thought he was going to be the last of his line for Merlin's sake, with both of you in Azkaban. He'll be ecstatic…" even he knew that, it was just stupid worries that were plaguing Rodolphus.

"He really won't," Severus murmured, "Not only is Luna only sixteen, but they're unmarried. Their father is extremely old fashioned, he'll be beyond furious with them for screwing up the betrothal."

"We didn't go for a betrothal," Luna explained happily, "The last one he had was awful, why on earth would I put him through that again?"

Rodolphus wildly waved his arms about as if to say, see what I am having to put up with.

"The solution is a simple one, get married," Severus stated, shrugging his shoulders. "The Ministry would do it for you whenever you like." It was a simple ceremony, nothing like the extravagant affairs the Pureblood's made of marriages.

"No," Rodolphus shook his head, finally sitting down, "It's not fair," on her went unsaid but understood by all.

"I don't have many I'd like to invite, just Harry…and Hannah and Neville…although, I'm not sure if it's the right thing to do." She confessed, "I am quite happy with a quick marriage and a decent reception." She had never been one of those who wanted hundreds of people she didn't know at her own wedding. Or worse, people who despised her.

"Whether they're the ones that did it, to Neville the name will always have a bad association with the name." Harry nodded, he understood it. Neville was…a kind soul but the name Lestrange was branded like hell into him with anger and rage. He wouldn't be good company at the wedding. Even with his parents back, he'd still grown up with them.

Rodolphus rolled his eyes, he honestly couldn't care less, and he didn't want the boy at his wedding anyway. He was no fonder of the Longbottoms than they were of him, he had told Luna he didn't regret it, he regretted getting caught though. He wasn't a good man, but Luna loved him anyway.

"How far along are you?" Harry asked Luna.

"Two weeks," Luna informed Harry with as soft sappy smile.

"Bit early to be revealing the information," Harry commented.

Rodolphus, Rabastan and Luna gave Harry an odd look, only Severus seemed to understand.

"That's only a Muggle tradition," Severus waved off his comment. "Its too obvious in witches, almost visible, the baby feeds on the mothers magic, almost as much as it feeds on the nutrients going into her body."

"That soon?" Harry asked in fascination.

"Almost from the moment of conception, Muggle women have to wait until they feel their child kick to sense them…whereas witches can sense their child almost right away." Severus said in his lecture voice.

"And wizards?" Harry wondered.

"Not as soon, around the month mark before there's a flicker of a connection," Severus replied.

"Okay, so what do you two intend to do then?" Harry asked Luna and Rodolphus when his questions were answered. He had no desire for children, not really, and he knew Voldemort didn't have the patience for that sort of thing. He couldn't help but snort just imagining the look on Voldemort's face if he was handed a baby.

Rodolphus sighed, "You really don't want a big wedding?" he asked doubtfully, he'd asked before…but it just went against everything he knew about every woman he knew. They all wanted a big massive wedding, with a big poufy dress and to be the centre of attention and just relish their big day. Show off their groom to all their friends, brag about how much more money they had than their friends. Even Bellatrix had done so, she'd done better than both her sisters, so she'd been ecstatic.

Then Rodolphus froze, Bellatrix, still alive, even in her state, she was still a danger to all he held most dear. It would just take a second of being distracted.

Just one second.

It had happened before, heart pounding erratically, his mind reeling, he had to do something. It wasn't just Luna now – not that she was any less for it – but a baby too. Bellatrix, if she found out, she would do everything to take that from him. She'd refused to have a child with him when they were married, even though it was in the contract that had been drawn up by both their families.

He calmed himself, as he thought, mind mulling it over. He knew what he had to do. Suddenly, it wasn't quite so difficult this time around.

Glancing over at Luna, who still had that smug happy smile one her face.

He never wanted to see it absent.

Truthfully, she was a bit on the young side to have a child, but what difference did a year make? She'd be seventeen by the time she gives birth anyway.

"No, I don't want a big wedding, and I'm taking my N.E.W.T's early, at the Ministry before I officially can't cast magic. There's no point to me going back to Hogwarts…Harry won't be there and I already know the curriculum." She had been sorted into Ravenclaw for a reason.

She didn't want to be away from Rodolphus and Harry all year, plus with the bullying…she did not want to risk the baby.

Her little boy she thought smugly.

A/N I know! I know! it's short! That's what I get for bragging to someone on my facebook group page (You can join if you like! It's DebsTheSlytherinSnapeFanStories just put that into search and you'll find the group! It's not just about updates, but finding fics and recommendations and just anything HP related!) that it's easy to update this story! So, it is! Life loves to prove me wrong LOL! So! What has Rodolphus decided to do? Will Bellatrix find herself locked away in a secure unit in St. Mungo's or is he going to give her the mercy of death? Who do you think should be at the wedding? Do you want to see it written down? As for Harry and Voldemort will they have a ceremony or are they happy with the way they've bonded? Just add rings to complete the look? Hmm I do need more Voldemort/Harry scenes though! For definite…even if it's just them talking for a bit, I feel like they never get to do that…but gotta push through with the alliances and the slow subtle take over 😉 heck there's no Order left so it's not like they have any resistance other than the Aurors :D the only problem with that is that there's no fun! No hostile takeover! Maybe I'll write one of those one day but it is not this day :D R&R please